S-729                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5617

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senator Fleming

Read first time 1/30/89 and referred to Committee on  Higher Education.

AN ACT Relating to the mathematics, engineering, and science achievement program; and amending RCW 28A.03.430 and 28A.03.432.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 265, Laws of 1984 and RCW 28A.03.430 are each amended to read as follows:

          The legislature finds that high technology is important to the state's economy and the welfare of its citizens.  The legislature finds that certain groups, as characterized by sex or ethnic background, are traditionally underrepresented in mathematics, engineering, and the science-related professions in this state.  The legislature finds that women and minority students have been traditionally discouraged from entering the fields of science and mathematics including teaching in these fields.  The legislature finds that attitudes and knowledges acquired during the kindergarten through eighth grade prepare students to succeed in high school science and mathematics programs and that special skills necessary for these fields need to be acquired during the ninth through twelfth grades.  It is the intent of the legislature to promote a mathematics, engineering, and science achievement program to help increase the number of people in these fields and teaching in these fields from groups underrepresented in these fields.

        Sec. 2.  Section 2, chapter 265, Laws of 1984 and RCW 28A.03.432 are each amended to read as follows:

          A program to increase the number of people from groups underrepresented in the fields of mathematics, engineering, and the physical sciences in this state shall be established by the University of Washington.  The program shall be administered through the University of Washington and designed to:

          (1) Encourage students in the targeted groups in the common schools, with a particular emphasis on those students in the ninth through twelfth grades, to acquire the academic skills needed to study mathematics, engineering, or related sciences at an institution of higher education;

          (2) Promote the awareness of career opportunities including the career opportunities of teaching in the fields of science and mathematics and the skills necessary to achieve those opportunities among students sufficiently early in their educational careers to permit and encourage the students to acquire the skills;

          (3) Promote cooperation among institutions of higher education, the superintendent of public instruction and local school districts in working towards the goals of the program; and

          (4) Solicit contributions of time and resources from public and private institutions of higher education, high schools, and private business and industry.